Can sealing apparatus

ABSTRACT

A reusable closure device for temporarily sealing an irregularly shaped opening in the top of a can, characterized by a peripheral bead. The outer ends of a pair of slidably interfitted members grasp the bead and force a deformable elastomeric pad against the opening to seal in the contents of the can. The aforementioned abstract is neither intended to define the invention of the application which, of course, is measured by the claims, nor is it intended to be limiting as to the scope of the invention in any way.

United States Patent Schlanger [451 Aug. 1, 1972 [54] CAN SEALING APPARATUS [72] Inventor: Samuel Schlanger, 44 Forest Rd.,

Valley Stream, NY. 11581 [22] Filed: Nov. 20, 1970 [21] Appl. No.: 91,275

[52] US. Cl. ..220/46 R, 220/41, 220/51 [51] Int. Cl. .1 ..B65d 53/00 [58] Field of Search 220/41, 46 R, 46 P, 51

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,619,255 11/1952 Bricout ..220/51 X 1,245,333 11/1917 Goldberg ..220/5l 3,363,798 1/1968 Garangiotis ..220/41 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS I 1,025,240 4/1953 France ..220/51 Primary Examiner-M. Henson Wood, Jr. Assistant Examiner-John J. Love Attorney-Leonard H. King [57] ABSTRACT A reusable closure device for temporarily sealing an irregularly shaped opening in the top of a can, characterized by a peripheral bead. The outer ends of a pair of slidably interfitted members grasp the bead and force a deformable elastomeric pad against the opening to seal in the contents of the can.

The aforementioned abstract is neither intended to define the invention of the application which, of course, is measured by the claims, nor is it intended to be limiting as to the scope of the invention in any way.

8 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures PATENTEDMJG 1 m2 sum 1 or 2 i INVENTQQ HMUEL scHLnNeeR BY 25/ {Laud -14 PATENTEDAUB 1 m2 SHEET 2 OF 2 I N \/E N TOR SHMUEL SCHL ANGER CAN SEALING APPARATUS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The use of cans for storing food and liquid is commonplace. One type of opening formed in the top of a can is by a conventional type of can opener and the opening is generally triangular in form. More recently,

' within short periods of time following exposure to the air. Some beverages, such as carbonated drinks, are pressurized, and it is necessary to close and seal the can opening so as to prevent release of gas pressure as well as to prevent spillage or leakage of the liquid.

Many of the prior art closure devices require a spring mechanism to provide sufficient pressure to retain the seal on the can opening. Typical of such devices is one in which two channel-shaped parts interfit with each other and are held in traction by means of a spring. One of the parts. hooks onto the bottom of the can while the other part having a pad thereon seals the opening or the top of the can; Because of the required spring mechanism the closure device is relatively expensive to manufacture, is complex to use, its structure is bulky, and it protrudes extensively along the entire length of the can.

Other common prior art devices use a plug arrangement wherein the closure device is inserted directly into the can opening and is held by friction, bent tabs, spring fasteners or the like. Typically such devices employ a plug of resilient material shaped to fit a specific type of can opening and having a peripheral groove to permit snapping the plug into the opening. While these devices may be simply constructed, they are limited to a particular shaped opening and wear out very easily.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a universal closing device suitable for can openings of miscellaneous shapes and sizes and a range of can diameters. I

A further object of this invention is to provide a closure device for an opening in a can which may be reused many times and offers a long service life.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a closure device which is relatively simple in construction and readily manufactured. I

Another object of this invention is to provide a closure device for an opening in a can which is easily manipulated to seal and reopen the can.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a can closure device which engages edges of an opening in a can under the elastic pressure from the top of the can to hold the closure in hermetic sealing engagement over the opening.

Another object of this invention is to provide a closure device for a can which can be used for the conventional triangular type opening as well as the "zip top" type of opening.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a closure device for a can which may be used repeatedly without maintenance or replacement of parts.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The closure device consists of three parts. The first two are structural and interconnected but permitting relative sliding motion therebetween. The third part is a resilient pad connected to the first structural part which serves as a sealing surface for the can opening. The two structural parts each have ends fashioned to fit the curvature of the can under the rim of the top of the can. The first structural part is hooked under the rim of the can adjacent to the can opening. The resilient pad is then compressed ontothe top surrounding the opening of the can, while the second structural part is slid relative to the first structural part until its end is hooked under the rim of the opposite side of the can. The resulting pressure between the can top and the resilient pad creates an hermetically sealed can. This pressure results in an elastic deformation of both the resilient pad and the fle'xible can top which provides a locking force which prevents relative slippage of the two structural parts and unintentional opening of the device.

These and other features, objects and advantages of the invention will, in part, become obvious from the following more detailed description of the invention, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, which forms an integral part thereof.

In the various figures of the drawing like reference characters designate like parts.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is an enlarged exploded perspective view of the closure device in accordance with this invention;

FIG. 2 is a front and top perspective view of the can with a closure device in accordance with this invention;

FIG. 3 is a bottom plan view of the closure device of this invention;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is an elevational sectional view of the can and rim showing the line of elastic deformation;

' FIG. 6 is a top plan view of an alternate embodimentof the closure device in accordance with this invention;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken on line 7-7 of FIG.

I 6; and

FIG. 8 is a vertical sectional view of an alternate embodiment of the closure device in accordance with this invention.

Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown one embodiment of the closure device generally indicated at 10, including parts 11 and 12 which are slidably engaged with one another when assembled and part 13 fixedly attached to the underside of part 12. Parts 11 and 12 have channels 14, 15 at the opposite ends thereof extending downwardly. The inwardly turned portion of the lower flange of the channels 16 and 17 have curved shapes fashioned to fit the curvature of a can. Part 11 has downwardly turned arms 18 and 19 extending on the underside. Tabs 20 and 21 extend inwardly from arms 18 and 19. The arms and tabs form a passageway 22 in which part 12 slides. Tab 23 extends downward at the end of part 12. At assembly, part 12 is slidably inserted into part 11 and tab 23 is subsequently turned downward, such that tabs 20 and 21 thereafter prevent separation of the parts 11 and 12. Stifi'ening ribs 24 and 25 add support along the lateral surface of part 12. Part 13 is a resilient pad such as an elastomer which is securely fastened to the underside of part 12 adjacent to the channel 15. The elastomer 13 may be secured by cementing, or any other suitable way.

The closure device is placed on a can 26 to cover an irregularly shaped hole in the top 27 of the can 26. The top 27 contains a rim 28 which extends beyond the exterior surface of the can 26. In sealing the can, channel is placed over the rim of the can adjacent to the opening such that the curved part 17 is hooked under the rim of the top 27. The resilient pad 13 is positioned over the opening in the top of the can. Pressure is applied to depress the resilient pad onto the top of the can. The top of the can will deform within its elastic limits as shown by the dotted line 29 in FIG. 5. Part 11 is then slid relative to part 12 until channel 14 engages the opposite side of the rim and circumferential edge 16 is hooked under the extending portion of the rim 28 as can best be seen in FIG. 4. The pressure from the resilient pad 13 and the elastically deformed flexible can top effects a tight seal between the top of the can and the resilient pad as well as applying sufficient force onto the closing device to prevent parts 11 and 12 from sliding off their hooked positions.

In a preferred embodiment of this invention the resilient pad 13 was made of a synthetic elastomer of about five-sixteenths inch thickness. The elastomer material is non-toxic and must be sufficiently rigid not to be permanently deformed by the edges of the can opening and at the same time must not be too stiff so that it will not seal. The size of the elastomer is large enough to cover all normal shapes and sizes of openings in cans for normal use. The parts 11 and 12 are made of a material which is highly resistant to rust and corrosion and which possesses a still, non-resilient quality.

Referring to FIG. 6, there is shown an alternate embodiment of this invention wherein like parts are numbered in a like manner. Part 11 contains lateral slots 30 and 31 cut out from the upper surface of the part. Tabs 32 and 33 extend upward from part 12 and then are bent over the edge of slots 30 and 31 onto the upper surface of part 12. Part 12 is thereby secured to part 11 and can slidably engage part 11 within the longitudinal limits of slots 30 and 31. In this embodiment the tabs 20, 21 and 23 and arms 18 and 19 as shown in FIG. 3 are not needed.

A further embodiment of this invention is shown in FIG. 8 wherein like parts have been numbered in a like manner. In FIG. 8 part 13 is shown connected to part 12 by means of extensions 34 and 35 which can be lanced from part 12 during its manufacture. Part 13 ar withoutd artin from hes irit of the inven on.

at I chi i] as n ew and desiie to secure by Eetters Patent is:

1. A reusable closure device for temporarily sealing an irregularly shaped opening in the top header of a can of the type having an annular bead comprising:

a. two members slidably interfitted one within the other, the outer ends of said members having means to hold on to the bead, such that said interfitted members are juxtaposed to the top header, the interfitting end of one of said members having arms extending underneath therefrom to form a passageway through which said second member slidably passes;

b. holding tabs extending from each of said arms inwardly approaching each other and a locking tab extending from the interfitting end of said second member such that the locking tab is held by said holding tabs to prevent separation of the two members; and

c. a resilient pad connected to the underside of one of said members for disposition on the top header to cover the opening therein.

2. A closure device as in claim 1 wherein said holding means are channels formed by arms extending underneath said members at opposite ends thereof, the free ends of said arms being arcuate shaped to correspond to the curvature of the can, such that said channel snugly holds onto said rim.

3. A closure device as in claim 2 wherein said interfitted members lie along a longitudinal axis and said channels hold onto diametrically opposed portions of the rim.

4. A closure device as in claim 1 further including a transverse slot on the surface of said first member and tabs extending from the interfitting end of said second member passing through said slots and bending over said slots to prevent separation of the two members while permitting slidable movement of the tabs along the length of the slots.

5. A closure device as in claim 1 further including reinforcing ribs on the surface of said members.

6. A closure device as in claim 1 wherein said resilient pad is a non-toxic synthetic elastomer capable of elastic deformation.

7. A closure device as in claim 1 wherein said second member has downwardly extending notched tabs which firmly grip said resilient pad.

8. A closure device as in claim 1 wherein said resilient pad has a durometer in the range of about 30 to 50. 

1. A reusable closure device for temporarily sealing an irregularly shaped opening in the top header of a can of the type having an annular bead comprising: a. two members slidably interfitted one within the other, the outer ends of said members having means to hold on to the bead, such that said interfitted members are juxtaposed to the top header, the interfitting end of one of said members having arms extending underneath therefrom to form a passageway through which said second member slidably passes; b. holding tabs extending from each of said arms inwardly approaching each other and a locking tab extending from the interfitting end of said second member such that the locking tab is held by said holding tabs to prevent separation of the two members; and c. a resilient pad connected to the underside of one of said members for disposition on the top header to cover the opening therein.
 2. A closure device as in claim 1 wherein said holding means are channels formed bY arms extending underneath said members at opposite ends thereof, the free ends of said arms being arcuate shaped to correspond to the curvature of the can, such that said channel snugly holds onto said rim.
 3. A closure device as in claim 2 wherein said interfitted members lie along a longitudinal axis and said channels hold onto diametrically opposed portions of the rim.
 4. A closure device as in claim 1 further including a transverse slot on the surface of said first member and tabs extending from the interfitting end of said second member passing through said slots and bending over said slots to prevent separation of the two members while permitting slidable movement of the tabs along the length of the slots.
 5. A closure device as in claim 1 further including reinforcing ribs on the surface of said members.
 6. A closure device as in claim 1 wherein said resilient pad is a non-toxic synthetic elastomer capable of elastic deformation.
 7. A closure device as in claim 1 wherein said second member has downwardly extending notched tabs which firmly grip said resilient pad.
 8. A closure device as in claim 1 wherein said resilient pad has a durometer in the range of about 30 to
 50. 